Ngwe is a 63-year-old woman from Burma. She and her husband work on their small farm, growing rice for their own consumption. In the off season, they grow cucumbers in their backyard and sell them so they can buy food. They have three children, and they are all married and live on their own.
In August 2019, Ngwe’s granddaughter accidentally hit her in her right eye. Although her eye became painful and swollen, the symptoms receded after three days. In mid October, while Ngwe was cultivating in her farm, Ngwe began to experience a blurry vision in her right eye. She also has pain in both her right upper and lower eyelids. These symptoms have made it increasingly difficult for her to see clearly. Ngwe was diagnosed with retinal detachment, a condition in which the retina pulls away from the supportive tissue in the eye, resulting in vision loss. If left untreated, she could lose vision completely.
Ngwe is scheduled to undergo surgery to reattach her retina on December 17th. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. After his surgery, Ngwe’s vision will hopefully be restored, and she will resume her daily activities comfortably.
Ngwe said, “I’ve always been careful not to be in debt. But now, I had to borrow money from a neighbour! If not my eye but some other body part, I would not even seek treatment. It’s a difficult feeling. I need my eyesight back so that I can move around more easily and be more productive with my work.”
